Four Wolves
by Leanbow
Summary: Merrick Baliton seeks out R.J. the wolf master to help him conquer his inner animal, unaware that a stranger will soon enter both of their lives, someone with powerful connections to Power Rangers history yet to be seen.  And who is the fourth wolf?
1. Chapter 1

Note: The Power Rangers are the property of Saban, although this story references a lot of the Disney years. The only original characters of mine are Kel Tate and a monster or two who appear later on. Takes place in the present day.

Merrick Baliton was a member of the Power Rangers Wild Force seven years earlier, in between being possessed almost three thousand years before and exploring an unfamiliar modern world since. He had just returned to Turtle Cove, where the Wild Force Rangers were based, when the ground shook, signaling the start of the robot attack on Earth by the Venjix virus. If he were near a radio or television at the time, he may have heard the instructions to get to Corinth, but he was on the highway, walking alone on his way to visit his old friend Willie, an older black gentleman who runs a roadside bar outside of the city. Fearing for his friend's life, he ran as fast as he could the rest of the way. Upon entering he found Willie on the floor, barely conscious, surrounded by a group of mechanical Grinder soldiers. The Grinders immediately focused their eyes on Merrick and rushed to attack him. Concerned about Willie's welfare above all else, Merrick brushed off their initial attacks to be at his side and help him to his feet. Dazed, Willie was startled to see him here after being gone so long.

"I should have known it was you, son. Here you are, saving me again."

"How do you feel?" Merrick asks. "Can you move?"

"A little stunned, but I'll manage. Thanks to you." he answers.

"I'll deal with these guys. When I clear the way, run out of here to safety, and don't look back." Merrick instructs.

Before an argument can be made, Merrick rushes the Grinders, swinging his arms and legs at all of them to get their attention on him. As planned, Willie makes it to the door and escapes. Merrick fights on, but eventually the soldiers outnumber him. One holds his arms to the floor as the others start to kick and punch him repeatedly. A few minutes of struggling go by, until Merrick hears an all too familiar voice from inside his mind.

"Merrick! You need me. I can help you."

Merrick recognizes the voice of the deceased Duke Org Zen-Aku. By putting on the wolf mask, Merrick was once possessed by Zen-Aku until being freed by the Power Rangers Wild Force.

He calls out "No! You're not really here. This isn't happening."

"You've always needed me. Put the mask on", the voice tells him.

Merrick visualizes the wolf mask within his reach. The mask is not physically there, nor is Zen-Aku's voice real. Nevertheless, Merrick continues to hear it.

"Put on the mask, Merrick. This is who you are."

Merrick finally gives in and embraces what the mask represents. With renewed strength, he battles the Grinders and defeats them, and after defeating them he destroys them, literally tearing each one to pieces. More arrive, and they meet the same fate. To Merrick, it almost feels like a dream. Like he's simply watching as his animalistic instincts and rage, his "inner wolf", takes over. As he destroys these robots, the days and weeks become months and before he realizes it, no one was left to fight. Without fighting, he began to regain his humanity and no longer liked what he became. The more he thought about again becoming the man he was under Zen-Aku's control, the more it depressed him, but that isn't all. He feels like something is missing from his life, a purpose, and if he cannot discover it then these negative emotions will overpower him inside.

Now the danger has passed. Venjix has been destroyed, and the planet is rebuilding. In the town of Ocean Bluff, the staff of Jungle Karma Pizza is making the final repairs on their restaurant before preparing to reopen. As Theo Martin finishes painting the walls in the main dining area, his boss and the owner of JK Pizza, R.J., is speaking to someone on a cel phone nearbye.

"Yes, Fran, the place will be good as new by the time you and Dom get back. (nods) I know. That turned out to be the luckiest investment I ever made. I take a risk opening a second Jungle Karma location in Corinth while not completely out of debt, robot armies attack everyone, Corinth gets sealed away in a dome, and just when I think I'm about to lose everything, I find out that the Corinth location's business is cleaning up. Well, it was the safest place to be this past year, and now that the war's over I'm getting my share of the profits. Thanks for looking in on the place for me. So, what's it like in Corinth now? (listens) You saw Dr. K in person? What's she like? (listens) Well in those circumstances, I'd be tightly-wound all the time too, I suppose."

On the other end of the phone, Fran starts talking and talking more about the city, and the rangers, and Dom, and other things, leaving R.J. little opportunity to respond back. After a few more seconds, he decides to cut back in.

"Breathe, Fran" R.J. says, holding his arm up as if she were physically in front of him. "Let me talk to Dom again."

As R.J. wanders into the kitchen, Theo is interrupted from his work by an appealing sight.

"I thought you could use a little break, so I made us a snack."

It's Lily Chilman, Theo's coworker and best friend. She sets down a delicious-looking pizza onto the counter top, but to Theo, Lily herself is the appealing sight.

"Sounds great", he answers, and sits down with her. Another employee enters through the kitchen, wearing dark sunglasses and a cap.

"I have finished cleaning the pizza ovens!" Flit exclaims in his usual speedy announcer delivery. "What do we have here? Theo and Lily, Jungle Karma's pizza making and serving champions, taking a much-deserved rest from their exponential efforts to reopen our restaurant and feed pizza to the masses! Let's watch…"

Lily smiles out of amusement, and Theo rolls his eyes. Suddenly, the front door opens and Merrick walks in. Theo stands right back up and comes over to him.

"Whoa, whoa, hold on there, pal. We're not open for business yet. Come back in a week."

"I'm not here for pizza" Merrick responds, in an uncompromising manner. "I'm looking for R.J., the so-called wolf master."

"How do you know who he is?" Theo asks him, in a firmer tone of his own. "What are you doing here?"

"That's none of your business, now is he here or not?"

"Well I don't think that's any of your business, now why don't you walk back out the door?"

Merrick's anger starts to rise inside of him. He hasn't come this far to accept no for an answer. However, he also hasn't come to ask R.J. for help only to resort to violence. He resists his baser instincts and tries one more time to settle things peacefully.

"I don't want any trouble" he begins, speaking in a more peaceful tone, but maintaining his urgency. "My name is Merrick. I know that R.J. is a Pai Zhua master of the wolf spirit, and the Jungle Fury Wolf Ranger. I've come to ask him for help. I can't tell you any more than that."

Theo considers Merrick's request, as Lily and Flit get up and join them.

"If you know all that about R.J., then I'm sure you're also aware that I'm a Pai Zhua master myself possessing the spirit of the jaguar. If you're really here for help, why don't you tell me what you're looking for?"

"I'm sorry" Merrick answers. "R.J. is the only one who could understand what I'm going through. The struggle to control our inner wolf."

Lily speaks up. "I think we understand what you're trying to tell us. You can stay here with us for as long as you like. Flit, why don't you run upstairs and bring down R.J.?"

They turn and face the door to the kitchen only to find R.J. already standing there.

"No need for that, I overheard most of it already. It was Merrick, right?"

"Yes. Merrick Baliton" he confirms.

"Well Merrick, I'm R.J." As he shakes Merrick's hand he turns to introduce the others. "Theo, Lily, and Flit."

"Nice to meet you, Merrick" greets Lily, cheerfully.

"Hi" says Theo, flatly.

"Welcome, my new friend" Flit adds.

R.J. shows Merrick to his loft, where they can talk in private. Outside, under the cover of the dark night sky, another visitor to town is outside of the restaurant. A young man in his late 20's wearing ratty clothing wanders down the street, somewhat disoriented.

"Something about this place" the man wonders aloud to himself. "Something has drawn me here. But why?"

He feels a sudden throbbing pain in his chest. As he clutches it with his right hand, he tries to talk himself through it.

"It's … happening again. No, I … I have to do something. (he touches his wrist and a unique device strapped to it marked by the initials S.P.D. with his other hand) My morpher … My morpher might be able ….. to …. contain it."

He presses it's top buttons, and a power ranger costume instantly appears over him. Seconds later the suit disappears, revealing that the man has transformed into something no longer human. Back inside the pizza parlour, Theo and Lily clean up a bit before going to bed.

"I still don't fully trust this guy Merrick" Theo admits. "Something seems off about him."

Lily has other opinions. "Theo, we just need to get to know him more. You remember what R.J. went through during that period when Dai Shi attacked his spirit. Merrick is probably going through the same thing."

"Really, Lily?" Theo asks skeptically. "Do you really believe that there could be more than one person out there who could turn into a mindless werewolf and cause trouble?"

Right then, a large set of claws breaks through the locked door and a werewolf creature bursts in, snarling and growling.

"You had to say that, didn't you?"


	2. Chapter 2

The mysterious werewolf snarls at the three friends, looking ready to strike at any moment. Theo and Lily position themselves slowly in front of Flit, ready to defend their turf.

"Flit" Lily instructs, without averting her eyes from the wolf. "Go upstairs to safety and get R.J."

Flit starts to move, and the wolf starts to move after him. Lily and Theo summon their animal spirits to intercept.

"Spirit of the Cheetah!"

"Spirit of the Jaguar!"

A large yellow energy projection of a cheetah forms from Lily's hands and pushes the wolf back. Theo's blue jaguar joins in and the two animal spirits start slashing the creature, hoping to subdue it. It withstands the strikes and pushes it's way past the projections, who disappear. By now Flit has made it into the kitchen, but Theo and Lily aren't finished yet. They each pull a pair of sunglasses out of their pocket and place them over their eyes, flipping a tiny switch with their fingers.

"Jungle Fury, Spirit Unleashed!" they call out together.

The glasses expand into helmets and energy emerges from them that form blue and yellow ranger costumes around their bodies. They each try to seize an arm of the beast, but it is strong enough to simply throw them over onto their backs.

"I bet that Merrick guy knows something about this" Theo speculates. "He comes in here talking about inner wolves and control issues, and later on a werewolf attacks us? It can't be coincidence."

"We can worry about Merrick after we defend our home" Lily reminds him. She rises to one foot, and jumps over to the wolf.

"Cheetah Jabs!"

She lets loose a series of rapid-fast punches to keep the wolf off balance. Upstairs in the loft, R.J. and Merrick were just beginning to grow acquainted.

"Well Merrick, mi casa es su casa" R.J. tells him as they enter the living room area. "Make yourself comfortable. But don't sit in my chair."

He rushes to sit in his recliner, protective of it. Merrick looks around at the rest of the place. The surveillance monitors surrounding them, the hardwood floor expanding into the Jungle Fury team's training area/dance floor/basketball court, and the glimpses of other rooms that can be seen, such as the kitchen and some sort of mini laboratory.

"What do you think? R.J. asks him.

"Could use a pool table" is the response.

"A pool table would be rad", R.J. agrees. "Now what exactly brings you to Ocean Bluff, Merrick? It seems like a long way from Animaria."

Merrick is caught a little off guard. "You know who I am?"

"As a student at Pai Zhua I did some research on the Wild Zords of Animaria and learned pretty much all the history that came with it, including your life and the story of how you sacrificed yourself to the wolf mask to defeat the Master Org."

"I didn't think any school taught about Animaria as anything more than children's stories."

"Well, I came from a school that teaches it's students to manifest and live in harmony with animal spirits, so I'd say we're likely to take a land of giant mystical animals more seriously than most. The research was part of a study I was doing, on the Wild Zords, the Galactabeasts, the Ninjetti-"

Merrick interrupts. "Ninja"

R.J. realizes his mistake. "Yes. I meant the Ninja power source from Ninjor's temple. I wonder why I said Ninjetti?"

Merrick shrugs.

"Anyway, I researched all of these different animal-based power sources and phenomena throughout recent history looking for some kind of connection between all of them. The only thing they all had in common is that they were all used in service to the Power Rangers at one time or another."

In runs Flit from the stairwell. "R.J.! Theo and Lily are being attacked by a wolf-man! Yes, a wolf-man! A furry canine walking on two legs! With ripped pants!"

R.J. and Merrick immediately head down to the restaurant, where the blue and yellow Jungle Fury rangers are being clawed and thrown down by the wolf.

"I guess it takes one to beat one" quips R.J.

The creature steps up and lunges it's arm at R.J. who bends backward to avoid a blow. Looking up at it's hairy arm, he notices something on the wrist. Something familiar. A morpher? Before he can do anything about it, Merrick takes hold of it's jaws and pulls it away from him. The creature resists, but Merrick tries to maintain a grip. He expects to hear Zen-Aku's voice speaking to him in his mind, like during the robot invasion. Nothing. Silence. The wolf's hands grab Merrick's and start crushing them. As much as he hated what the wolf mask represented, without using it as his focus, Merrick can't seem to summon his fighting strength. The wolf throws him back against the wall, but Lily catches him before the impact. R.J. and Theo run in to fight with the wolf, trying to stay one step ahead of it's claws. Suddenly, Flit comes out of the kitchen.

"Who's hungry?" he asks, apparently forgetting about the battle still going on. "I just made a piping hot tofu and banana-"

He is cut off by a loud growl from the wolf that startles him, causing him to drop the pizza on the floor. It rushes past the rangers and starts to nibble on the overturned pizza. In the moments that follow, the creature seems docile and harmless. The others watch in partial disbelief as it begins to shrink down in size. Within seconds, the wolf turns human. He lowers himself to the floor to rest.

"Hnn…Kat…" is all he can muster before falling unconscious.

"What is it with this town and wolf-men?" R.J. asks, jokingly.

"He's asleep now and completely normal" notes Lily "but who is he?"

"And why does he carry a morpher?" R.J. adds on.

"I thought you said you were the one trying to control his inner wolf" Theo says to Merrick. "It didn't look like that to me. He completely overpowered you."

Merrick tries to explain. "When those robots attacked me, I saw myself putting on a mask that made me stronger, but different."

"Like Zen-Aku" R.J. deduces.

"Exactly, and I could hear his voice inside my head. I don't understand why that didn't happen here."

"If you ask me, the problem you think you have might not be a lack of control over your instincts" R.J. theorizes. "Maybe you just need a reminder that you're strong enough to move on from the mask. But we don't need to figure it out at this hour, I say we follow our wolf-man friend's advice and all get some sleep."

Approximately four years earlier, outside the town of Briarwood, Koragg the Knight Wolf takes his sword to Nick, the Mystic Force Red Ranger. After repeated strikes, Nick falls to his knees.

"You grow stronger each time we duel, Red Wizard" Koragg tells his foe "but you are still unworthy of defeat by my hands."

He turns away, ready to leave, when he touches his fingers to his forehead as if he has received a vision.

"What is this great power I sense? It draws me to seek it out… in the year 2010."

"2010?" Nick questions. "That's impossible."

"Nothing is impossible to a true sorcerer."

Koragg recites a quick spell, and a seal symbol instantly appears at his feet, transporting him to the future.


	3. Chapter 3

The following morning at Jungle Karma, Merrick wakes up early and wanders down from the loft to the restaurant. R.J. wakes up next and follows him.

"The others are still asleep, including our wolf attacker" R.J explains. "So maybe we can use this time to talk about what's troubling you."

"Where to start? I put on that mask and was sealed away for thousands of years, and even after I was free from the curse I lost my old life forever." Merrick tells him. "I fought with the Wild Force rangers to repay them for what they did for me, but I was never comfortable being part of them."

"That's perfectly understandable. It takes a person time to get over any kind of loss like that. When did you begin to hear Zen-Aku's voice in your mind?"

"The very first time was right after we defeated Master Org. Our mission was over, and as I was walking through a forest he called out to me. We spoke a little while and departed together. It wasn't until later that I realized he was never actually there. I would hear his voice again at certain times in the years that followed, but I never lost control of my emotions until the robot attack."

"It sounds to me like you may have been dealing with the loss of your old life on Animaria by sealing yourself off emotionally from the world in the present day. As I said already, that kind of thing takes time to get over, but by leaving right after the final battle that healing time was interrupted so instead of truly moving on, you retreated for comfort to the one place that remained true to what you knew- your own mind. I think you imagined Zen-Aku to avoid feelings of loneliness, and your desire to remain connected to the past. And with the Venjix attack, you drew strength from it to survive."

"Are you saying that I've just been running away by travelling around all these years? I was just doing what I thought Princess Shayla was asking me to do. She told me my mission was over and Earth was my home."

"And it is, I just don't think you gave yourself time to fully recover from what happened to you."

R.J. pauses briefly before speaking again.

"Look, you had heard about what happened to me, when I lost control of my Wolf Spirit. That was a different situation. My spirit was injured in battle with Dai Shi. My transformation was an unexpected side effect, while yours was the direct result of an enemy's curse. I bring this up because I believe what helped me then can help you now."

Before R.J. can finish his thought, a dark purple swirl of magic energy forms across the room and from it Koragg emerges. R.J. and Merrick stand and face him.

"This simple pizza parlor is not where I expected to find the level of power I seek" Koragg declares.

Recognizing him, R.J. speaks up. "You're Koragg the Knight Wolf, aren't you?"

"You know this guy?" Merrick asks.

"He used to fight a team of rangers in Briarwood, but I had heard he became-"

He is cut off as Koragg interrupts him. "I am the one you recognize me to be, but choose your words cautiously in my presence. My destiny is to serve my master and help him rule over all, and if you were to tell me otherwise than I can and will take steps to prevent those events when I return to my own time period."

R.J. knows he's right. As far as history knows, Koragg becomes the heroic Leanbow once more and helps destroy the Master, but if Koragg can travel in time to this place, he can just as easily alter that outcome and put the universe at risk. Koragg draws his sword from the top of his shield and fires a blast at the two men, who run out of it's path. The mark of the Order of the Claw on R.J.'s arm becomes visible to Koragg.

"So, you are a Pai Zhua master. On one occasion when the Mystic Force rangers bested me and defeated my ally Morticon, I went into a brief exile to regroup and prepare to launch a new attack. During this time, I discovered your academy and demanded knowledge of your secrets. After finding a worthy opponent in your Master Mao, I departed empty handed. Are you the source of this energy I seek?"

He turns his head to face Merrick. "Or perhaps it is you. I sense that like me, you do not belong here in regular society. There is a mysterious dark side that conflicts with your noble stature. Perhaps both of you hold the key to this power source."

"You might be right about that", Merrick tells him. "It can't be just coincidence that we all happen to be here, two wolf rangers and a wolf-inspired knight."

"Not to mention a werewolf", adds R.J.

"If you do not share the power with me, I will take it by force" Koragg warns them.

R.J. gives his answer. "If that's the case, you've travelled a long way for nothing."

Koragg raises his sword and shield and starts to attack. R.J. presses the buttons to activate his wrist morpher.

"Jungle Fury, spirit unleashed!"

R.J. (now wearing the violet Wolf Ranger suit) throws his arms forward, expecting to catch the sword, but Koragg hurls the shield arm instead. With R.J. hanging on, Koragg raises his shield above his head effortlessly and tosses it behind him. Merrick approaches and, hoping to catch him off guard, delivers a kick to Koragg's stomach. It doesn't seem to have been effective, as Koragg simply turns his head sharply and pushes him back with his hand. After Merrick finds his footing and stands his ground, Koragg strikes the air with his sword and fires an energy blast. Diving behind the restaurant counter, it misses Merrick just barely. Upstairs in the loft, the noise has jolted Lily awake.

"Theo. Theo, wake up. Something's going on downstairs."

Theo stirs and starts to wake up. "Where's R.J.?"

"He's not in his room. Same with Merrick."

Theo suddenly becomes more alert. He rises out of bed and checks on R.J.'s couch, where they had left the stranger who broke in last night in the form of a werewolf.

"He's gone!" Theo exclaims. "Let's get down there."

They run down through the kitchen and are surprised to find Koragg instead of the werewolf. Koragg sees them and fires a blast in their direction. The two of them manage to summon their animal spirit projections just in time to protect themselves.

"You are only delaying the inevitable, rangers." Koragg warns them. "I will find the power I seek. It shall be mine alone!"

A voice unknown to all replies "Not if I have anything to say about it."

Koragg turns to face the individual at the door. The rangers also look, and are surprised to see that it is another ranger. This ranger is dressed head to toe exactly like the Red Time Force Ranger.

"Wes?" Merrick wonders aloud. "Wes Collins?"

The Red Ranger quickly raises a hand and answers. "I'll explain in a moment."

Koragg prepares his sword and runs toward him. He delivers a strike, but the ranger has dodged it. He then takes hold of Koragg's arm and rotates him around putting him in front of the door. He kicks him in the chest and pulls out two red and black blaster weapons. As Koragg advances, he fires the blasters and halts his attack.

"I was not prepared for battle against an unknown opponent." Koragg explains. "My staying to fight would be dishonorable, but I will return."

Koragg disappears through another dark energy swirl.

"Thanks for the help" R.J. says to the new ranger.

"Don't mention it, but to answer the question, I'm not Wesley Collins, and I'm not with Time Force. Power down!"

He is instantly demorphed, and the others now see that this man is the one they fought earlier.

"You're that werewolf guy!" Theo exclaims. You're a power ranger?"

"I knew that was a morpher on your arm I saw last night." R.J. adds on. "Who are you?"

"I guess after all my other half has put you through, you deserve to hear the truth. I'm Officer Kelvin Tate, you can call me Kel, and my outfit's called Space Patrol Delta."

"I've never heard of it", Theo tells him.

"Then we must be doing a good job" Kel replies with a smirk.

"Your suit looks just like the Red Time Force Ranger's" Merrick says in partial wonder.

"I remember hearing how Bio-lab, Wes' father's company, tried to duplicate the Time Force technology back in 2001, but I didn't think they were successful" R.J. points out.

"They weren't", Kel answers, "so they passed the job off secretly to us. The Earth branch of S.P.D. had only just founded at that point."

"What do you mean?" asks Lily.

"The exact details were classified even to me, but S.P.D. as an organization does have alien origins. My original unit was led by a cat-woman, Dr. Kat Manx."

"Kat" Lily repeats. "That was the name you said right before you fell unconscious."

"Kat Manx wasn't from Earth, but she was a brilliant inventor and scientist" Kel continues. "We all were, all ten of us chosen for the project."

"What does any of this have to do with you becoming a wolf-man?" Theo asks.

"When we first experimented trying to duplicate the morphers, we caused a terrible accident. We were all exposed to radiation that altered our DNA. It's funny, some of my friends got some neat superpowers out of it, while I just black out and turn into a monster."

"Just like I did. Did you come here looking for my help?" R.J. theorizes.

"I haven't heard of you or knew you were here", Kel answers. "It's almost like I felt drawn to be here."

"That's just like what Koragg said." Merrick reminds everyone.

R.J. nods. "And he'll be back."

He takes his cel phone out of his pocket and flips it open.

"When he does come back, it may take more than the five of us to stop him."

He makes a quick call to Dom and Fran, and then another to Casey Rhodes at the Pai Zhua academy. After hanging up, he offers the phone to Merrick.

"Is there anyone you would like to call, Merrick?"

Merrick smiles and accepts the phone.

"Hello, Turtle Cove Air Force? Get me Taylor Earheardt."


	4. Chapter 4

Upstairs in the loft, Theo and Lily spar against one another in combat practice while Merrick and Kel look on.

"Koragg could return at any moment", Merrick states. "Are you ready for a fight?"

"Absolutely" Kel answers. "I'll do my part. I just have a concern about my effectiveness in battle. What if I'm out there and suddenly-"

Merrick finishes the thought. "-your other half decides to come out?"

Kel nods. "My morpher can't contain it. I've tried, but S.P.D. just hasn't invented one yet with enough power to cover a massive canine form."

"Try not to worry too hard. R.J. said he knew a way to help me get my head in the right place, he'll come up with something for you too."

"I sure hope so. I can't even show my face to my family again until I do. I want my little boy to grow up thinking his dad's a hero, not a monster."

Lily and Theo stop their training and join the pair.

"How about getting up and joining us?" Theo asks. "You both look like you could use some activity to focus your minds on."

"I'd rather wait for my old team to get here to go over our attack strategy." Merrick replies.

"But until they're here, it could just be us out there." Lily reminds him. "And once the battle begins, regardless of which team, we're all in this together."

"I see what you're saying Lily, and I mean no offense to you two" Kel begins "But I've studied many forms of martial arts and combat techniques all over the world. I just don't think you have anything to teach me."

Theo smirks at how wrong Kel's statement is. Lily walks over to a cassette player and turns it on. As dance music plays forth from it, she pulls Kel and Merrick up by the arms to the floor.

"I don't think you've been taught this." Lily states with a smile.

When the Jungle Fury rangers were fighting Dai Shi's armies regularly just over a year earlier, Lily had frequently used her lifelong love of dance in her fighting style. She taught her teammates to do the same, but that isn't the only reason why she's making her new friends dance with her now. The reason is, between their troubling past difficulties and the fight they will later face, they should take some time for harmless recreation. Unfortunately, that time is short lived.

Flit comes up the stairs from the kitchen. "It's time! Koragg is back!"

The rangers run down and out to the courtyard outside the restaurant. They join R.J. who is already there as Koragg stands across.

"I have returned as I promised I would, wolf master" he begins. "Since you will not relinquish control of your power, I shall use my dark magics to summon the dark aspects of the wolf spirit. Behold."

He recites a spell and raises his hands to his side. From the energy released from his hands, a small army of wolf-like soldiers arrive out of nowhere.

"It's up to us until our friends arrive" R.J. instructs the others. "Let's morph!"

The three Jungle Fury rangers morph into their suits, as does Kel.

"Let me at Koragg" Merrick says.

"It's too dangerous" R.J. disagrees. "You can't morph. Stick to the foot soldiers for now. Theo, Lily, you help him out. Kel and I will take Koragg."

Every ranger team over the years have always had to deal with repeated encounters with a group of enemy soldiers, be them robots, aliens, ninjas, or giant birds or insects, but these wolves are stronger than any of them were. One grips Theo's arms with it's thick paws and forces him to his knees. Merrick attacks it to release it's grip, but two others ambush them. Lily is doing her best to fight off several, but the numbers of those surrounding her grow leaving her overwhelmed.

"Wolf Blaster!" shouts R.J. as he fires blasts of energy from his wrist morpher. Koragg merely deflects them with his sword. As he fires a blast of his own back, Kel uses the distraction to attack at close range.

The three fighting the wolf army become cornered by them. Merrick's arms are restrained by two of them. The others carry Theo and Lily above them like a mosh pit. They march ahead onto the city streets and fling them both into the air. They are spiraling to the ground until a blonde woman dressed in yellow unexpectedly leaps in and catches Lily. As they land on their feet below, Theo is caught by a younger African-American guy in blue with the same results. Still held in place, Merrick knows these two.

"Taylor! Max! I'm glad you're here. Where's Danny?"

"Right behind you" Max answers.

A larger Hispanic man wearing black pries the two wolves off of Merrick until they can fight them off.

"Man, it is good to be back fighting evil again" Max exclaims with excitement. "The big guy and I, we've been to Russia, Mexico, New York, England, everywhere in the world."

"Don't forget KO-35, Mirinoi, Aquatar and the other planets", Danny adds.

"Of course not. What I'm saying is, despite all the fun, it totally rocks being back in action."

Taylor steps forward. "Try to take this seriously, kid."

More wolves rush over to the new visitors, but again they are caught off guard as a young woman in pink and white kicks several of them from the air.

"Alyssa!" Merrick calls out.

"Good to see you, Merrick. Your turn, Cole."

Another man dressed in ripped red clothing leaps out from behind everyone like a lion. He strikes at some wolves like an animal, and they back off. The former Wild Force team is now assembled and Danny and Alyssa stand at Cole's side, striking attack stances. The wolves have some other tricks up their sleeve, however. They part as a member of their ranks positioned behind the pack fires balls of flame from its eyes. Unable to get out of the way in time, they cover their faces with their arms and hope for minimal injury. When they look again, they see that the blasts were deflected by the remaining Jungle Fury members standing before them: Red Ranger Casey, Dominic the White Ranger, and Jarrod, garbed in the black armor he originally wore as an enemy of the rangers while possessed by the spirit of Dai Shi. The wolves decide to run around them and flee down the streets. As the rangers prepare to give chase after them, they are also joined by Fran (who as you know has been with Dom this whole time).

"Where's R.J.?" she asks. "I have the package he asked us to bring him."

"He and Kel were fighting Koragg." Merrick remembers. "They might need our help."

"I think you're right about that", Theo observes. "Look."

As everyone looks back into the courtyard they see R.J. trying to dodge attacks from Kel, in wolf form, as Koragg teleports away to join his wolf pack. Jarrod and Dom rush over to pull the large werewolf away. Danny and Cole join in, making sure to avoid getting close to his clawed fingers.

"What's going on?" Casey asks.

"Long story, but underneath that werewolf is a friend" Lily answers.

Merrick addresses his former teammates. "I can't believe you all are her right now. You came to help me despite not having your powers anymore."

"Of course we did" Alyssa says. "You're one of us."

"This might sound clichéd" Taylor adds "but once a ranger, always a ranger."

The two girls and Max surround their friend with a big hug.

"Get Kel upstairs to the loft, and get ready to go out to find Koragg" R.J. instructs. "Fran and Merrick will stay behind here with me."

Merrick is surprised. "What? Why?"

"You asked me to help you, and I will."

"What about the Wild Force Rangers? They can't morph" Theo wonders.

"I could call my old friend at Lightspeed Rescue" Cole suggests.

"No need" R.J. responds. "Fran, you brought my package?"

She hands him the box. He opens it and passes out new wrist morphers to each ranger, excluding Merrick for the time being.

"I took the liberty of putting in a call to an old friend" R.J. starts to explain.

"Oh yeah, this old friend of yours whose uncle knew how to tap into the morphing grid?" Lily recalls.

"Two friends actually. Marah and her sister Kapri. After earning my master stripes at Pai Zhua, I travelled abroad and spent some time at the Wind Ninja academy. Their uncle, by marriage, is the head Sensei there."

"Well what are we waiting for?" Taylor responds. "Let's get back to action!"


	5. Chapter 5

Thanks to R.J's monitoring systems, Koragg and the wolf army have been tracked to the public park. The team of ten rangers, equal parts Wild Force and Jungle Fury, suspect they may be lured into a trap, but proceed without haste on foot from Jungle Karma Pizza anyway.

"Now that you guys have arrived, we should be able to put up more of a fight than before" says Theo.

"We're happy to help, but it seems like a lifetime ago when we used to do this kind of thing all the time" Taylor responds. "I hope we can still keep up."

"I wouldn't worry about it, Taylor", says Cole. "We'll look out for each other as a team, just like we used to.

Casey agrees. "That's right. We can all trust each other."

"Why didn't R.J want Merrick to come along yet?" Max asks.

"Yeah" Dom agrees. "I can understand why R.J. tied down that werewolf, but what's wrong with Merrick?"

"Merrick and Kel's heads aren't in the right place right now" Lily theorizes. "But R.J. will find a way to help them and everything will be fine."

"What kind of help does Merrick need?" wonders Danny.

"It's hard to say with R.J., but Merrick could be fixing his chair with a screwdriver and washing his yoga mat right now" Casey answers.

"Or maybe being dragged into the woods" Theo adds.

"Sounds like an interesting teacher" Alyssa comments.

"Oh, he is, but he must have some kind of lesson for Merrick" Lily says.

"Anything to help him feel better about his past", Taylor starts. "He shouldn't keep blaming himself for being possessed by an evil spirit."

"That sort of thing isn't easy for a person to forget", comments Jarrod. "But letting yourself have the support of friends goes a long way."

They arrive at the park and as predicted, the wolves are ready to attack. Koragg stands at the head of the pack.

"Stand out of our way, fools. You only delay my seizing of your friends' wolf spirit."

"We're not going anywhere", argues Cole. "We'll defeat you ourselves."

"You got that right!" Casey exclaims. He turns to the Wild Force Rangers. "These new morphers will send a signal to your Wild Zords to bond you with their spirits and allow you to morph. Everyone ready?"

"Right!"

The Wild Force Rangers activate their morphers and the signal is sent. As the Jungle Fury Rangers summon their own animal spirits, the signal is returned within seconds and all ten stand morphed as rangers.

"Blazing Lion!" shouts Cole.

"Iron Bison!" shouts Danny.

"Surging Shark!" shouts Max.

"Soaring Eagle!" shouts Taylor.

"Noble Tiger!" shouts Alyssa.

"With the strength of the Tiger!" shouts Casey.

"With the stealth of a Jaguar!" shouts Theo.

"With the speed of a Cheetah!" shouts Lily.

"With the power of a Rhino!" shouts Dom.

"With the spirit of the Mighty Lion!" shouts Jarrod.

As they all form a line and take an individual pose, streams of red, white, blue, yellow and black smoke shoot upward from behind. Once it dies down, the rangers divide into pairs by colour and head into battle.

Back inside the loft, the snarling werewolf has been duct-taped to the wall as R.J. gets ready to put his plans into action.

"I don't think that's going to hold him for very long, R.J." Fran cautiously reminds him.

"I'm hoping we won't need it to, Fran", he answers.

"So how did you cure yourself of this problem?" Merrick asks.

"I got over it once I learned to stop fighting my animal spirit and embrace it instead. I didn't do this alone, however. That's where you come in, Flit."

"But my friend, I am not capable of that anymore!" Flit protests in his usual delivery.

"Yes, you are." R.J. assures him. "I've been training you to summon the spirit of the fly. Just concentrate on what I've taught you."

"Yes R.J., I shall do my best!"

"What about us?" Merrick asks. "Are we going to head out and join the others while Flit helps Kel?

"Not quite yet. You came to me with a problem of your own that needs fixing." R.J. reminds him. "You need to learn to trust your friends, so who better to help you then the one who helped me."

He motions his hand in a displaying gesture toward Fran.

"Me?" Fran is completely taken aback.

"Fran, the rangers and I trust you with our lives, and I trust that you and Merrick can come up with a plan to help them against Koragg."

Merrick and Fran look at each other awkwardly.

"Do you have any powers of your own?" he asks her.

After more awkward silence, she responds with a quiet "no". R.J. is also in slight awe of the idea of Fran being left speechless on anything. Flit concentrates on summoning his animal spirit, and with a wave of his hand a tiny projection of a black fly materializes above him. The fly stares at Kel with its large eyes, and the beast begins to calm down.

Back at the park, one of the wolf creatures charges at Cole. He dodges the attack as Casey leaps up and kicks its face. The two Red Rangers grab the arms and deliver a punch to its midsection. As another runs in, Casey blocks its strikes while Cole takes out his crystal saber from the side of his belt and places the red lion animal crystal in the center. As Casey flips the wolf forward over his back, Cole jumps back in action and delivers a hit. Theo's blue jaguar spirit fights off several wolves and creates a pathway for Theo and Max to break up their perimeter. Two wolves come at them. Max dives between their legs and Theo jumps over their heads. Theo refocuses one of them at him and knocks him to back with a forearm. Max jump-kicks the other in the stomach. Danny and Jarrod combine their strength to send one wolf off of its feet and together they push it along the ground before tossing it up into the air. More wolves surround the two heroes in black. They look across to each other and nod before standing their ground. The first two wolves to reach them are taken hold of and lifted off of the ground, just long enough to be thrown into more of their pack. Dom is fighting off a wolf with his Rhino Blade when another attacks from behind. His fellow White Ranger Alyssa takes it out with her Tiger Baton, and they strike the first wolf together. Separate groups of the wolves pile on Taylor and Lily, seemingly engulfing them. Moments later, they soar free through the mobs like graceful birds. The Yellow Rangers land and fight them off by hand with ease.

"Take on a true dark master!" Koragg roars to the girls.

Taylor takes him up on the challenge, but he removes his sword with great speed and strikes her down. Lily is caught off guard and meets the same action, and both crumble to the ground. Alyssa sees and feels her heart race.

"Leave them alone!"

Koragg turns to her. "You had best back up your words, female. Show me something."

Reacting on instinct, she raises her arm. Without warning, least of all to Alyssa herself, a white tiger spirit projection emerges from her and strikes Koragg before disappearing.

"I don't know how I did that," Alyssa comments in confusion.

"Don't be frightened" Casey interjects. "I think that was the spirit of an old friend communicating through you." He is referring to Whiger, the former Phantom Beast general who in the end sacrificed his life to help Casey and the rangers.

"Face me, tiger master!" Koragg bellows to Casey before running in with his sword.

"Shark Sabers!"

Twin light blue swords are summoned to his hands to deflect the sword. He jumps and twirls his position using the Pai Zhua shark technique. Koragg uses his shield to protect himself from the blades, but Casey keeps on twirling and coming at him. He leaps past the shield and manages to surprise Koragg with blows on the other side. Before Koragg can react, he is shot by arrow blasts from Cole's Falcon Summoner weapon. Jarrod steps up next to face Koragg. Koragg draws his sword back and displays his shield prominently in front of himself. Jarrod just grins and brings his hands together out in front to summon his lion spirit.

"Feel the power of the Mighty Lion!"

As the black lion spirit emerges from Jarrod's hands, Koragg is undeterred.

"Wolf attack!"

The center of his shield opens into a shape resembling an eye, symbolic of Koragg's master, and releases many energy blasts in the form of wolf heads. The lion is beginning to grow weary from the attack. Jarrod summons a Zocato energy forcefield around himself for added might. The lion slashes past the wolf head blasts and ferociously strikes Koragg, bringing him to one knee.

"If you choose to strike me as a team, I shall do the same" he responds.

The werewolves strike once more in seemingly greater number and rejuvenated strength, sending the rangers' attention back to them from Koragg. Casey summons his Jungle nunchuks and tosses the Shark Sabers along to Max. Max jumps around attacking several foes doing his best to duplicate the shark technique, but he is getting tired. A wolf delivers a thrashing blow that knocks him to the ground. Danny helps him up and they stare off into a crowd of wolves. Danny puts his hand on Max's shoulder with a message.

"Never give up."

Max smiles and nods at his friend. "Never give up."

Danny takes Max's hand and repeats the simple message. "Never give up."

Max jumps up with joy and gives Danny a big hug. "Never give up!"

"Will you guys get back her and help us already?" Taylor shouts.

The two rangers are snapped back into reality. "Oh yeah, right." "Sorry."

"Only by fighting off my wolf army will these rangers prove themselves worthy to enter battle with me", Koragg proclaims.

Suddenly a voice from behind captures the attention of all present.

"I challenge you, Koragg."

The warrior turns to face his willing opponent, and the rangers all catch a glimpse of this person. Fran?

Showing more confidence than her friends have ever seen, she boldly declares "I am the ancient megazord Animus, ruler of the Wild Zords, given new life in human form."

The rangers are aghast, not sure what to expect.

"I find your claims skeptical to believe" the Knight Wolf responds. "However, by accepting your challenge of battle I shall be provided a demonstration of your abilities."

Fran stands her ground, trying not to let on how nervous she feels on the inside. This was the only idea Merrick could come up with to buy their friends some time, and her keeping cool makes all the difference. She strikes a martial arts pose. Koragg runs in and draws his sword. She moves out of the way at lightning speed. When Koragg turns, Fran raises her fist and strikes him. He is surprised at the effectiveness of the blow. He tries to strike back, but Fran soars into the air before curling into a ball and kicking him on her way back to the ground. She holds her arms out at her sides and a tidal wave of water bursts forth onto Koragg.

"This cannot be happening", laments Koragg. "You are not a warrior."

The rangers run to Fran's side, hoping for answers to their confusion.

"Fran, why didn't you tell us you had these powers?" Theo asks.

"Actually I had some help with those."

The three spirit rangers materialize in front, forming a line between the rangers and Koragg. The human-shaped manifestations of the Pai Zhua spirits of the elephant, bat and shark were protecting Fran and doing battle with Koragg moving at speeds too fast to have been seen.

"I always wanted to experience the fights and action that you guys do" Fran explains. "And now… I've pretty much had enough to last me the rest of my life."

"I am not amused by these parlour antics!" Koragg exclaims with anger. "Attack, my armies, and leave no one left standing!"

The spirit rangers disappear, and R.J and Merrick join in, already morphed.

"How do you feel now, putting your trust in your old and new friends?"

"It all seems so obvious now, but the look on Koragg's face told me how effective trust can be."

"Good to hear it. Wolf Blaster!"

R.J. fires energy out of his morpher to a couple of wolves. Merrick swings his Lunar Cue weapon at the wolves, putting three of them into a stasis field restricting their movements. He places his wolf, alligator and hammerhead shark crystals in front of him like billiard balls and swings his cue around to make a shot.

"Laser Pool!"

He shoots the crystals into the three wolves, destroying them. The Wild Force Rangers bring out their jungle weapons and combine them together into the Jungle Sword. Together they call out "Savage Slash!" and destroy several wolves in its path. The red, blue and yellow Jungle Fury Rangers raise their arms and summon the Claw Cannon. As R.J. and Dom join them on opposite sides, the weapon is charged and ready to be fired by Casey. The blast takes out the remaining wolf creatures, and Koragg stand alone.


	6. Chapter 6

Koragg recites a spell. A dark purple energy seal covers the ground where the wolf creatures were defeated, and four giant wolves now stand. Koragg also proclaims "Uthe Mejor Catastros!" to summon his steed, the giant horse Catastros. As Koragg's body grows larger, the horse's body splits off into parts that form the shapes of arms, legs and protective armour for Koragg to form the Centaurus Wolf Megazord. Quickly, the red, blue and yellow Jungle Rangers summon their Jungle Master modes, altering their costumes slightly and giving them a boost in power.

"Jungle Master Megazord!"

The Gorilla, Antelope and Penguin spirits form zords that combine into a powerful robot.

"Wolf Pride Megazord!" R.J. commands.

His purple Wolf Zord runs in, and forms two copies of itself. The other Wolf zords then turn into perfect duplicates of the Tiger and Jaguar zords and form a variation of the classic Jungle Pride Megazord, only with the Wolf Zord taking the place of one of the legs originally held by Lily's Cheetah zord.

Dom contributes as well, calling for the massive Rhino Steel Zord. It shifts into the Rhino Pride Megazord.

"Let's get in on this, you guys", Cole tells his fellow Wild Force Rangers.

"What zord configuration should we do? asks Max. It is a valid question, as they have grown to possess many Wild Zords to create several possible megazord combinations.

"Let's start simple", instructs Taylor. "Wild Force Megazord."

The Lion, Bison, Shark, Eagle and White Tiger Zords, the symbols of their powers, are summoned to form their signature megazord. The five rangers ride into their cockpit on the Soulbird, which adds the zord greater power. Merrick summons his three zords, the wolf, the alligator and the hammerhead shark to combine into the Predazord, and the battle is even. The Centaurus Wolf Megazord advances slowly, ready to strike with its staff. The Jungle Master Megazord blocks it with its mighty fists, and they focus on dueling one another. The Rhino Pride Megazord fends off a wolf with its sword, made up of the rhino horn now residing at its hand. The Predazord does the same with its gator staff, as does the Wolf Pride Megazord using its setsukon, meaning three-section staff. The Wild Force Megazord, having no standard weapon of it's own, simply fights hand-to-hand for now. So far the rangers in their zords are faring well in one-on-one encounters with the wolf creatures, and they are starting to realize how big of an advantage they had attacking as a group. The wolf fighting Merrick's zords unexpectedly pushes him aside and strikes Dom's rhino zord behind it's back. Before it can react, another one digs it's claws into the zord's chest and tosses it to the ground. Soon all four wolves fire their eye lasers at the other megazords, keeping them at bay as they all gang up on the Rhino Pride Megazord.

"They're too much for me! I'm going down!" Dom relays frantically to the others.

The Rhino Steel Zord crashes to the ground, and Dom with it. Unlike the other Jungle Fury zords, the Rhino Steel Zord is a solid construct instead of a projection of Dom's animal spirit. It remains, but it and Dom are severely weakened for the time being.

"Everybody focus on breaking them off as individuals again" says Merrick.

The Wolf Pride Megazord takes the arm of a wolf and pulls it forward, singling out its attention from the group.

"I'll make sure this one stays solo", R.J. replies. "Spirit of the Bat!

The Bat animal spirit swoops in and quickly breaks off into wings and a new helmet and attaches to the Wolf Pride Megazord. With the bat's ability to fly, it carries the wolf away from its pack. After touching down several miles away, the Bat Zord separates from the megazord.

"R.J.!" Jarrod calls out. "Use my Lion!"

Jarrod's black Lion Zord forms new armour over the Wolf Pride Megazord and fires several energy orbs from its center. The wolf recoils from the impact, but is still on its feet.

"Savage Spin!" R.J. calls.

The megazord starts spinning its arms around like a small tornado. As it increases speed, the wolf creature is pummeled repeatedly without reprieve. Finally, it can take no more and falls to the ground in a heap and explodes.

R.J. is relieved. "That's one down."

Back over in the main battle, The Jungle Master Megazord is using a similar spin attack against the Centaurus Wolf Megazord, but Koragg is using his superior fighting skills to prevent the same outcome.

"Dark Magic Strike!" shouts Koragg.

The two ends of the Centaurus Wolf Megazord's staff are energized by lightning, and the evil zord delivers deadly strikes with both ends to the Jungle rangers. They are damaged, but not taken out completely just yet. Suddenly Koragg is hit by a blast. It is the Revolver Phantom, an energy blast attack by the alligator mouth of the Predazord.

"Come on! It's me you want, isn't it?" Merrick challenges.

"Be careful what you ask for, Lunar Wolf" Koragg responds.

The remaining megazords return their focus to the wolves.

"Let's get ready to take this up another notch" says Cole, from the Wild Force Megazord. "Alyssa?"

The white ranger places the elephant crystal inside her saber, and the Wild Force Elephant Zord arrives on the scene. It separates its head and body to form a sword and shield for the megazord.

"I think we can use some elephant power of our own", exclaims Casey. "Ready Lily?"

"Ready. Spirit of the Elephant!"

The Jungle Fury Elephant Zord attaches to the Jungle Master Megazord and it starts swinging its mace at a wolf. R.J. returns, his megazord now bonded to the Jungle Fury Shark Zord, and the three are each using their weapons to occupy the three remaining wolves. The wolf creatures are remaining at each other's side, striking as a group rather than giving an opportunity to break them off again. Just as wolves use their senses to prey on those they encounter in the wild, these wolves identify the Jungle Master Megazord as their best target, as it had been already hurt in battle with Koragg. They swat and push away the other two to focus on it alone. One wolf creature grips its arms tightly, as the other two scratch its head and body. Once again, the other megazords are kept at bay by the laser blasts. Soon enough, the Jungle Master Megazord is overpowered and brought down, separating the individual animal spirits and sending Casey, Theo and Lily to the ground.

"We need more power. Summon the Isis Megazord!" Cole tells his team.

The Wild Force Rangers call back the Wild Force Megazord, and in its place the Falcon, Rhino, Giraffe, Armadillo and Deer Wild Zords form the larger Isis Megazord. Acting quickly, it lunges its Giraffe Spear arm at one of the wolves, catching it off guard. It catches a second wolf with its other arm using the Deer Clutcher antlers. It raises the wolf into the air and spins the antlers really fast before throwing it hard back on the ground. The third wolf approaches.

"Isis Stare!"

As the megazord's wings spread out to its sides, the wolf creature is temporarily paralyzed in place. The Armadillo Zord emerges from the zord's foot, ready to be fired.

"Final Strike!"

The Armadillo Zord curls into a ball, and the Isis Megazord kicks it like a soccer ball right into the wolf. It falls backward and explodes.

"Good job, you guys" commends R.J. "I have an idea. If you can keep the last two wolves busy, we might not half to deal with them for too much longer."

"We'll do our best" Cole responds.

R.J. disengages the Shark Zord from his megazord and sends it away. Then he steps between Koragg and Merrick.

"Koragg, this has gone on long enough. Allow my friends to leave peacefully and I'll fight you myself one-on-one, with my Wolf Spirit as the winner's prize."

From within the Predazord, Merrick is a little surprised.

"R.J., you don't have to do this. We can win as a team."

"Just trust me" he assures him. "If I can end this the easy way, it will help us avoid more damage to the zords."

He speaks up again to Koragg. "What do you say? Is it a deal?"

"Wolf Master, that is the first thing you have said worthy of my respect", he answers. "I accept your challenge, but it is not my nature to enter into a dishonourable contest for either side. I shall put my magic at stake for our duel as well, but swear to me that no other rangers will interfere."

"Only if you call off the wolf creatures."

"A fair term. Stand down, my wolf soldiers."

The wolves ignore him and continue to do battle with the Isis Megazord.

"I said stand down!"

Still no action or response. Koragg interrupts them and pries them away from their battle.

"I created you to serve me, and I am ordering you to stand down!"

He expresses his anger by slashing both wolves in the stomach with the Centaurus Wolf Megazord's staff. They fall down and explode. Koragg starts to turn away back to R.J., but the two wolves' remains start to reanimate themselves. They combine into a new, larger wolf creature and grab Koragg's zord by its head.

"That is not what I had in mind", says R.J.

The wolf raises Koragg with its paws and fires a laser from its eyes directly into his back. The lasers are now twice as powerful, and fired at a much closer range than with the rangers up until now. Koragg and Catastros are forced to separate, and both fall to the ground. Both are at their normal size, and Catastros is simply a regular horse again.

"Guys, I'm going to check on that horse", Cole tells his team.

"Be careful. It could still be dangerous" Taylor warns him.

Growing up in the wild, Cole has become very intuitive to the needs of animals and has the ability to understand and communicate with them. Regardless of the warning, he jumps out of the megazord to tend to Catastros.

"It's okay", he says. "Minor injuries, and he seems to want back in the fight."

"Koragg isn't in any kind of fighting shape at the moment, though." R.J. says.

"I have an idea. Taylor, summon the Bear Zords, and I'll call for the Gorilla Zord."

The green Wild Force Gorilla Zord shifts into a torso and head, its part to play on a megazord combination. The Black Bear and Polar Bear Zords form the arms, and as Catastros goes into its larger zord mode once more, the wild zords form on top of the horse body to create a new combination.

"Kongazord Centaur!" Cole exclaims, supplying the name. He is piloting from inside the cockpit located in the Gorilla Zord.

The wolf is not deterred. The Kongazord Centaur charges at it, firing blasts of fire and ice from its hands, but they are too small to be effective. This new wolf's skin seems to make it tougher than the old wolves were. It snarls at the new zord and starts scratching at it. The centaur tries to bring up its feet in defense but it isn't working out very well. The wolf grabs two of the horse limbs. The centaur tries to struggle free, but the wolf picks it up and throws it at the Wolf Pride Megazord, sending both off of their feet. The Isis Megazord steps in to intervene, but the wolf dodges a blow from the Giraffe Spear. It then manages to catch the Deer Clutcher arm, and slowly tries to pull it from the megazord's body. Without warning, it lets loose some eye lasers and finishes the job. The Wild Zords and rangers are separated and on the ground, and the Jungle Fury Rangers rejoin them there.

"What's going on?" Casey asks.

"R.J. tried to get Koragg to call off the wolves by challenging him to a one-on-one duel, but they wouldn't listen" Taylor explains. "They combined as one and turned against him. Cole is still fighting, using Koragg's zord."

"He won't succeed" Koragg interrupts. "Catastros cannot simply be piloted by a ranger controlling a zord. Only by taming the beast can one unleash its full potential, its full fury, and no one here other than myself has the strength of will to do it."

"Oh yeah? Maybe I can!"

It's Kel, morphed and ready as the SPD Red Ranger.

"I did it. Thanks to Flit's help, I've learned to control my inner wolf. We've been watching the entire fight from the loft, and I want to help."

"I am still in need of recuperation, so I will grant your request, human."

If Koragg does sense truth and conviction in Kel's voice and believes in him, he is choosing not to show it. He simply recites a new spell enlarging Kel to zord size, where he bonds with Catastros to form a new Centaurus Megazord (not affiliated with the Centaurus Megazord from Power Rangers Lost Galaxy). He immediately attacks the wolf, which is using an undisciplined fighting style trying to confuse him. Kel is managing to stay on his toes and defend himself. Merrick proceeds to intervene in the Predazord, while wondering in his mind whether or not the rangers really can succeed this day or if the wolf simply cannot be beaten, like the nature of man and their "inner wolves". Then, as he notices the sky darkening into nightfall, he sees the solution. The blue moon. Once during a time when the other Wild Zords couldn't help Merrick, he was able to draw strength from his teammates' souls in the form of the blue moon in the sky.

"Predazord: Blue Moon!" Merrick calls out.

The Predazord gets renewed strength (and a blue tinted appearance) and offers Kel assistance. Together they dodge the wolf creatures blows and strike it together at once. The tide is turning.

Casey rallies together the troops on the ground.

"Dom, how's the Rhino Steel Zord?"

"Ready for action, Casey!"

"Great. Send it in." He turns to Cole. "Our zords have a special finishing attack we like to use for special occasions, and you guys should be a part of it too."

"Absolutely, in fact I was just about to say the same thing to you. What do you say we combine our strongest attacks?"

"You're on! Jungle Pride Stampede!"

As the Rhino Steel Zord charges in (in animal form) The Falcon Wild Zord forms its part of the Isis Megazord (along with the Shark and White Tiger arms from the Wild Force Megazord, and the Elephant sword and shield) and attaches itself to the top of the Rhino's body. The Jungle Fury Jaguar, Wolf and Cheetah Zords run alongside it as it charges toward the wolf creature. Kel strikes a powerful blow to the wolf's chest, not to directly destroy it, just to divert it from the stampeding animals. The wolf winds up defenseless against first the slash attacks of the Wolf, Jaguar and Cheetah, and then repeated strikes from the Rhino's horn and from the Elephant sword. It falls to the ground exhausted.

"Your turn, guys!" Casey signals Cole.

"Ultra Roar!"

The Wild Zords are positioned around the wolf and blast it from all sides with a powerful laser blast.

"Time to finish this" Merrick says. "Blue Moon Wave!"

The blue moon has enabled the Predazord to fire an even more powerful blast than the Revolver Phantom. The wolf monster falls backwards and explodes.

"We did it, guys!" Merrick is elated. "We all did it!"

"I'm proud of you, Merrick" R.J. tells him. "And you, Kel."

Koragg stands and addresses the teams from the ground.

"It is still unknown what circumstances led me to arrive here, but it is clear that I am to return to my own time and fulfill my proper destiny. You have all fought with courage and strength this day, but it does not make you my equal. Farewell."

He recites a spell to send him and Catastros home to the proper period of time, and the rangers go back to Jungle Karma Pizza to throw themselves a well-deserved victory party.

"So where are you off to now, Merrick?" R.J. asks.

"I've been on the move for almost ten years, R.J. I can't think of anything else I'd like than to go back to Turtle Cove and make up for some lost time with my friends."

"I'd like that too", Taylor agrees. "We haven't had many chances to all get together like this."

She and Merrick share a hug. Cole spreads his arms around both of them, and soon enough the entire team has joined in.

Kel speaks up next. "I want to thank you all for helping me through this, especially R.J. and Flit."

"Ha-ha! I was just happy to be in action again, my new friend!"

"Sorry to interrupt" says Danny. "I didn't have a chance to say anything earlier but my cousin is Gloria Delgado, one of your old teammates."

"Really? Small world. I haven't seen her since her since after she delivered her kid."

"You should try to visit her again soon. Elizabeth is really growing fast."

"I think I will, Danny. Now that my wolf powers are under control I'm really looking forward to getting back in touch with my family and friends again."

"And going back to what you said earlier" Lily tells him. "Your son will definitely look up to you as his hero."

"Thanks."

"As for me" R.J. says. "I'm headed to Corinth to check in on the other restaurant for myself."

"You'll have to leave someone in charge while you're gone" Theo reminds him.

"Alright then, Theo, you're in charge. Does anyone object?"

None of the other Jungle Rangers speak up. They've learned that lesson before.

"Hey, I love pizza" Max tells him. "Mind if I stick around and work here for a while?"

"Sure, kid" R.J. tells him. Theo looks less enthusiastic about it.

"Alyssa, Cole" Casey starts off. "You two in particular displayed a lot of potential as possible Pai Zhua warriors. Give me a call at the academy anytime you feel like expanding your skills."

"Thanks Casey" Cole answers.

"I'll keep that in mind" says Alyssa.

Merrick speaks again. "I'm happy with how everything turned out, but how did what started as a chance encounter of me coming here for help turn into all of this? It feels almost like it was orchestrated."

"Sometimes the defining moments of our lives can happen by chance, so I say we leave it at that" R.J. answers.

Unknown to the rangers they are being watched by three individuals who have hidden their presence by magic. One of them is Princess Shayla, guardian of the Animarium and the Wild Zords, mentor to the Wild Force Rangers and Merrick's former love.

"I'm so proud of Merrick", says the Princess. "He's finally learned to embrace life again and be happy after all this time."

"I too, am proud of my students. They continue to honour the teachings of Pai Zhua and my memory."

Those words are from Master Mao, the former sensai of the academy who was killed by the Dai Shi spirit, but aided the Jungle Fury Rangers even from the spirit world.

"When you told me of your idea to help Merrick, I knew R.J. was the one he could turn to" Mao continues.

"Yes, but it wouldn't have worked without the presence of Koragg in all of this. Thank you for your assistance in summoning him" the Princess says to the third individual.

"I was happy to help", says Leanbow. "I've been in Merrick's position before myself. I didn't expect that other Red Ranger to play a role in this."

"We did not arrange for him to arrive either" says Shayla "but our actions ended up helping him as well."

"So they did", agrees Master Mao. "All is well.

Then End.

Thanks for reading, and because this took so long I've decided to skip any epilogue endings, but I'll write more stories as soon as I can think of them.


End file.
